Conjugate Addition of Alkyllithium Reagents to α,β-Unsaturated N, N',N'-Trimethylhydrazides

Abstract

The site of nucleophilic attack by an alkyllithium reagent upon an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound is governed by, among other factors, the nature of the group attached to the carbonyl.¹ Thus the amount of carbonyl addition decreases in favor of conjugate addition for the α,β-unsaturated series: aldehyde, ketone, ester, amide. We wish to report that α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid trimethylhydrazides, which have an exceptionally unreactive carbonyl group², undergo exclusive conjugate addition with simple alkyllithium reagents.³ Furthermore, the derived hydrazide lithium enolates can be transformed in convenient and useful ways.